I-94 bridge rebuilding complete in Calhoun County

Fast facts:

• The work to rebuild or repair 17 bridges along I-94 in Calhoun County has been completed.
• The three-year, $160 million investment includes repaving 10 miles of I-94 and the Battle Creek Rest Area parking lot.
• Work in 2025 will include final paving, drainage improvements, sign installation and rest area completion.

MARSHALL, Mich. - After two years of lane closures and rebuilding, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) has completed work to rebuild or repair 17 bridges along I-94 in Calhoun County, reopening all lanes today as work wraps up for the winter.

As part of the three-year, $160 million investment, MDOT rebuilt the I-94 bridges over 6 1/2 Mile Road, Beadle Lake Road, 9 Mile Road and the Kalamazoo River. In just 75 days in 2023, the Capital Avenue bridge over I-94 was rebuilt, as well as I-94 under Capital Avenue, along with the interchange ramps and intersections.

Bridges that were improved included I-94 over Riverside Drive, I-194/M-66 over I-94, F Drive North over I-94, and 17 Mile Road over I-94.

Repaving has been completed on westbound I-94 from Capital Avenue to Helmer Road, eastbound I-94 from Helmer Road to 6 1/2 Mile Road, and on eastbound and westbound I-94 between I-69 and 17 1/2 Mile Road.

A separate project to rebuild the Battle Creek Rest Area on eastbound I-94 began earlier this year; that work will culminate in 2025 with repaving the parking lot. Also planned to start in spring 2025 are repaving westbound I-94 from Capital Avenue to 6 1/2 Mile Road, drainage improvements, sign installation and pavement markings.

Based on economic modeling, this investment is expected to directly and indirectly support 2,032 jobs.

Funding for this project is made possible by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's Rebuilding Michigan program to rebuild the state highways and bridges that are critical to the state's economy and carry the most traffic. The investment strategy is aimed at fixes that result in longer useful lives and improves the condition of the state's infrastructure.